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A day before getting a chance to introduce himself to an international audience, Raptors rookie Terrence Ross admitted he was a tad nervous.

“A little bit. All this media and all the players (all-stars) showing up, I’m just trying to settle in,” Ross said on Friday afternoon.

Was Ross also feeling pressure from past Raptor performances, particularly Vince Carter’s back in 2000?

“Yeah,” Ross said with a laugh, “especially with Vince.”

But gradually, as the media peppered him with the same questions over and over again, Ross indeed settled in and excitedly talked about his preparations for Saturday’s slam dunk contest.

Ross said he would not be using any props like a car, unlike Blake Griffin two years ago, when the Clippers’ star beat the more deserving DeMar DeRozan thanks to gimmickry.

“No props, all athleticism,” Ross said.

DeRozan, a two-time participant, has been giving Ross advice, along with Rudy Gay, another former competitor at the event.

But Ross didn’t bring along any other Raptor to help him out, instead, wisely opting for childhood pal Terrence Jones. Why was it wise? Well, not only is Jones extremely familiar with Ross, which could result in some stellar alley-oops, but he also plays for the Rockets and should give Ross a bit of a hometown boost and buzz from the Toyota Center crowd. In a contest like this, that will help.

Ross and Jones practised for 45 minutes on Thursday.

On Friday, Ross said he was ready.

Though he initially told the Toronto Sun back in November that he didn’t plan on entering the contest, he eventually changed his mind after pressure from teammates and a huge social media push.

Dwight Howard backed him, so did Paul George and even fellow participants — and favourites — James White and Gerald Green said he was the guy to beat.

George was supporting his Indiana teammate Green, but said Ross would be dangerous.

“I’m pulling for Gerald, I think he can take it all the way, but I think Terrence Ross will give him some competition,” George said.

Why? “He’s got the flashiness, I think he has the creative mind as well, but for sure he has the flashiness to do so.”

Win or lose, Ross will be jamming for a good cause on Saturday night.

Ross is raising money this month for dunkcancer.com and he will donate $2,000 U.S. for every round he advances in the three-round event.

He also will donate up to another $2,000 when his high school team plays next week.

“Dunk For Cancer is a foundation I set up. I talked to my mom about it I thought it would be a good thing to give back to the community,” Ross said.

“I have a lot of personal experience with people who dealt with cancer so I thought it would just be a good way for me to have a positive outreach on the community.”

Ross wants people to know: “there’s a lot more to me than just my dunking ability,” but with a winning performance on Saturday, it will get infinitely tougher to shed that label.

RAPTORS DUNKERS OF THE PAST

The Raptors might not have a long, illustrious, history, but the team has certainly had its moments at the slam dunk contest on all-star Saturday night. Terrence Ross joins DeMar DeRozan (twice), Jamario Moon Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter as participants who went for dunk glory as Raptors. Here’s how past Raptor appearances went:

Vince Carter 2000 – The high-water mark for the Raptors on all-star weekend so far. Carter put on a show that some regard as the best ever at the contest and easily defeated a tremendous field.

Tracy McGrady 2000 – Any other year McGrady might have won, but he was overshadowed, as ever, by his distant cousin. Still, McGrady threw down some fantastic dunks.

Jamario Moon 2008 – Moon put in a pretty good effort, but nerves might have prevented him of pulling off his best stuff. Finished third behind Gerald Green and Dwight Howard.

DeMar DeRozan 2010, 2011 - DeRozan deserved to win at least one of his two appearances and possibly both of them. He clearly was the best dunker the year Blake Griffin won, but didn’t have the star power, or the props, to defeat the Clippers’ star.

Terrence Ross 2013 - ?

Several future Raptors were in the contest before joining the club. Dee Brown won a memorable one after squeezing air into his Reebok Pumps and then covering his eyes while a member of the Boston Celtics. Fred Jones won a far less memorable event years later as an Indiana Pacer and Antonio Davis also did one early in his career as a Pacer. New Raptor Rudy Gay has also been in it and Doug Christie was there as a Knick in 1996.